The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis ‘Starlight’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Starlight’. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape and container use.
The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program in Hubbardston, Mass. The objective of the breeding program is to develop hybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique and superior garden attributes. In particular, to develop long-lived cultivars in a wide range of flower colors and plant forms that have sturdy plant habits, exhibit a true perennial habit, and are cold hardy to at least U.S.D.A Zone 5a.
The new cultivar arose from a cross made by the Inventor in August of 2010 in his test garden in Hubbardston, Mass. between an unnamed, proprietary plant in the Inventor's breeding program, reference no. Q1 09-5 (not patented), as the female parent and and pollen that was pooled from a variety of unnamed, proprietary plants (not patented) from his breeding program as the male parent (all nearly sterile). The exact male parentage is therefore unknown. ‘Starlight’ was selected in September 2011 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings under the direction of the Inventor in Kensington, Conn. in September of 2011. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.